They wake up screaming and don't recognise you
It isn't a nightmare — which is why nothing you do seems to work. Telling the two apart completely changes what that night calls for.
A night terror is a partial waking out of deep sleep. They look awake: screaming, crying, sweating, eyes possibly open and looking straight at you. But they aren't, and they aren't aware of any of it.
It almost always happens in the first third of the night, when deep sleep is heaviest. The next day they won't remember. The one who will remember it for life is you.
Terror or nightmare: the difference matters
| Night terror | Nightmare | |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep stage | Deep sleep | REM sleep |
| When | First third of the night | Second half |
| Are they awake? | No | Yes |
| Do they remember? | No | Yes |
| What they need | You to wait | You to comfort them |
That last row is what changes the night. With a nightmare you comfort. With a terror you wait — waking them makes it worse and drags the episode out.
What to do
- Stay calm and stay close, without intervening.
- Make sure they can't hurt themselves: clear space, nothing to knock into.
- Lower the lights and the noise in the room.
- Wait. It lasts from a few minutes to half an hour, and it ends on its own.
What not to do
- Wake them. It's the most instinctive thing and the one that prolongs it most.
- Hold them down firmly: being restrained can agitate them further.
- Ask them questions. They aren't awake and can't answer.
- Tell them about it the next day as something terrifying. They didn't experience it; you'd be creating it.
When it's worth asking
Night terrors are common between ages 3 and 7 and usually resolve on their own. It's worth mentioning to your paediatrician if they happen several times a night, continue well beyond that age, involve rigid or repetitive movements, or if your child is drowsy during the day.
In NomiNest this isn't a table, it's your baby
The app works from the data you already log, and compares your baby against themselves rather than against an average.
Meet NomiNestSources. General information based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the NHS.
NomiNest is not a medical device and this guide does not replace your paediatrician's guidance. The information is general and orientative: every baby is different, and the professional who sees yours is the one who knows them.